The Senior Spotlight series features interviews with Sibley seniors who have shown commitment to academic excellence and personal achievement. The series will highlight two seniors each week until graduation.

For each of the past two years, one of the first faces to greet new students at Henry Sibley High School has belonged to Masbal Abdullahi. During her junior and senior years, Masbal has served as a Link Crew leader and helped acclimate ninth graders and other students to their new surroundings at Henry Sibley. The decision to donate her extra days of summer vacation was motivated by Masbal’s own experiences as an incoming ninth grader.

“What inspired me to become a Link Crew leader was that when I was a freshman, my Link Crew leaders had inspired me to be myself and pursue the things that I love, as well as working hard and studying,” said Abdullahi. “I wanted to transfer those empowering feelings and advice to the incoming freshmen.”

In addition to her time in Link Crew, Masbal works to help those around her as a member of the Henry Sibley Key Club. She also has extensive experience as a volunteer outside of Henry Sibley, donating time to Feed My Starving Children and United Hospital.

“Helping people in need and creating a difference in peoples’ lives in my community, and hopefully the world, is what I strive for,” she said.

Masbal’s community spirit has not gone without notice, especially among her peers. In September, Masbal was chosen to represent the senior class as a member of the Homecoming Court. She was eventually chosen as “princess” by the student body.

Along with working to better the lives of those around her, Masbal has also been a member the Henry Sibley Business Professionals of America (BPA). Meanwhile, her strong work ethic has helped her excel in the classroom, especially in advanced courses like Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History, AP Language and Composition, College in the Schools (CIS) Physics and CIS French IV.

Next fall, Masbal will be enrolling at St. Catherine University in St. Paul where she plans to continue to make the world a better place for everyone.

“I don't know what I'm going to major in yet, but I know in the future that I want to create a difference in people's lives,” she said.

District 197: How has Sibley prepared you to succeed after graduation?Masbal: Sibley has prepared me in many different ways in order to succeed. The number one thing is that success does not come easily. It may sound cliché, but working hard and never giving up is what leads to success. This the best way that Sibley had prepared me for the outside world after graduation.

Who is your favorite teacher or what is your favorite subject?My favorite teacher here at Sibley would have to be Mrs. (Sarah) Lund. This may sound weird, but she has taught me that teachers are people, too. They want the best for students and want to see us succeed.

What’s a memory from your time at Sibley that will always stay with you?One of my favorite memories that I cherish is attending the DASH Prom for students with special needs. The reason why this is a memory that will always stay with me is seeing the smiles and happiness on the students' faces. They were enjoying themselves and letting loose. I loved how we, as a student body, came together to create a lasting, joyful memory.

What advice do you have for younger students about high school?Try new things. I wish I had been involved in more activities. Also, high school is going to fly by without you realizing it, so spend your time wisely by studying, working your hardest and doing the things you love.

Anything else you’d like to share about your time at Sibley?To my classmates, thank you so much for making my experience here at Sibley very warm and amazing. I hope that you all succeed and pursue the things you love. I also hope you all are happy and experience many new things.